Thursday, March 28News That Matters

What Is a Drainage Survey?

Have you looked around your home or business and found that water isn’t draining away as it should? If you’re buying a new home and want to make sure that everything is working properly or if you need to inspect drainage for your business, a drainage survey is the way to go. Below we’ve collected information about drainage surveys, particularly recorded surveys.

What Is a Drainage Survey?

A drainage survey is commonly known as a drainage inspection and its function is to examine the pipes in a home or business area to determine if there are any issues present. Drainage surveys are performed prior to purchasing a home to see if there are any issues with the pipes that could cost a person some serious money or when there is an issue with water not draining away as it should.

What Can a Drainage Survey See?

A drainage survey is used to determine the following items, amongst others, are affecting your pipes:

  • Tree roots which are entering and partly or completely obstructing the drain.
  • Debris that may have settled in a sewerage or stormwater pipe, causing a partial or complete obstruction.
  • Any physical damage such as cracking and separation in both sewerage and stormwater pipes, which could lead to localised flooding problems.

How Is a Drainage Survey Done?

CCTV surveys on drainage are performed using CCTV cameras and recording equipment. These are fed down through a drainage system and the images are communicated to the survey inspector, who can then record them to be viewed later. A locator is used in conjunction with a camera to accurately record the locations of any issues or anomalies. This information can then be analysed by a specialist who can go on to recommend any repairs or replacements which could be necessary. Using state-of-the-art top-quality robotic CCTV cameras, these inspectors can provide high-definition visual imagery throughout pipes, voids, and areas of limited access.

With specialised on-site software, these surveyors can view the recorded images in real time as well. Once the recording is complete, the clients will be provided with full digital imagery supported by a thorough technical report.

These drainage surveys offer a full investigation of the sewer network with images collected of the complete sewer runs and a detailed drainage condition survey that will reveal cracks, root ingress, damages, and blockages.

Who Does Drainage Surveys?

Drainage surveys must always be performed by professionals such as drainage specialists or plumbers; however, specialists will have advanced training. These individuals are highly qualified and trained in how to use the necessary equipment and perform a quality survey. A specialist will be able to easily and precisely understand and recognise any problems. He or she will also produce a report for customers that is written in plain English so that it is easy to understand. He or she will frequently provide customers with a copy of the camera footage that was recorded for their personal records.

For more information, contact your local drainage survey inspector.